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A South education allows students to explore and develop interests that build the foundation of lifelong career paths. Our faculty are dedicated to helping students reach their maximum potential. And with more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, South provides plenty of avenues for discovery.
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South’s student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports, demonstrating excellence on the field and in the classroom. The Jaguars are a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference, and our alumni have gone on to notable professional careers in baseball, basketball, golf and football.
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Maymester: A Full Semester in Only Three Weeks

Megan Sparks, communication instructor, teaches a public speaking class during the
Maymester session. One of her students said the flexibility is allowing him to complete
his coursework sooner than expected. Nearly 500 students are enrolled in 88 Maymester
courses across the University.

USA students usually take a break after the spring semester. But this year, South
has launched a new Maymester session, which started on May 9 and will run through
May 27.

There are 491 students enrolled in 88 courses for this first Maymester. The students
are taking advantage of a full range of courses, from public speaking to biology
in Costa Rica, where students have traveled abroad.

Johnathan Smith, 22, and a native of Fairhope, needed to take a public speaking class
to earn his degree in mechanical engineering.

“I have enjoyed my public speaking course,” Smith said. “Without the Maymester session,
I would have had to wait until this summer to complete my requirements.”

Megan Sparks is an instructor of communication who’s teaching the public speaking
class in which Smith is enrolled. Her students meet in class Monday, Wednesday and
Friday and meet online Tuesday and Thursday. Sparks said the students get the best
of both worlds.

“I see this as a great opportunity for our students,” Sparks noted. “There are some
students who don’t like online classes because they don’t feel connected to the faculty
member or other students. But, the way my class is structured, they get the convenience
of meeting online and then they come into the classroom to work on their outlines
and give their speeches.”

Several years ago, Sparks worked with the Innovation in Learning Center at South Alabama
to redesign her public speaking course. It has paid dividends for the Maymester session.

“They were able to help me customize my course with video and presentations,” she
said. “Overall, my course redesign has worked well for my online classes.”

According to Dr. David Johnson, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs,
Maymester is held at universities across the country and abroad. South decided to
implement the Maymester session because it helps achieve one of the University’s priorities,
which is to help students graduate in a timely manner.

“Since we had the month gap between spring and summer semesters, it was a perfect
time to add the new Maymester session,” Johnson explained. “We have included traditional
courses for students, opportunities for them to do field experiences, and take advantage
of the short session to study abroad.”

Johnson said due to the Maymester session being only three weeks, it is intense and
challenging, but very rewarding and relevant for students and faculty.

“This course has been fast paced, but I have been able to manage it,” Smith noted.
“Once I complete this course, I can totally focus on finding a job and starting my
career.”